orthodoxwinkler@gmail.com

Christ the Saviour Orthodox Church in the Pembina Valley

Our Story

“Christian mission is not to preach Christ, but to be Christians in life.”

FR. ALEXANDER SCHMEMANN

This “life” that Fr. Alexander talks about, is witnessed throughout the world by men and women, rich and poor, young and old alike; regardless of where we live, work, raise families and have friends, the Christian manifests the love of Christ for humanity in this “life”, including Winkler and Southern Manitoba.

This all started when in 2014,  the parish of St. Nicholas in Narol (just north of Winnipeg) received a resident from Winkler into Orthodoxy. That one person making a long trip to St. Nicholas for Vespers, Liturgies and feast days, was soon followed by a number of families and individuals making their way to St. Nicholas, with a dream that maybe one day there could be an Orthodox Church closer to home.

Indeed the idea of having a mission in Winkler which has been an considered as being something for the distant future, became a tangible possibility within a year or so. With the blessing of Archbishop Irenee (Archdiocese of Canada, Orthodox Church in America) and the support of the parish of St. Nicholas in Narol, the Mission of Christ the Saviour was established in the early winter of 2016.

The Mission community quickly out grew their meeting place (a renovated one car garage), and in 2018 moved to the Covenant Mennonite Church in Winkler. The feasibility of serving at this location became unworkable in 2020. A number of services were held outdoors during the summer of 2020 in a parishioner’s back yard, while the search for a new space was undertaken and lead to a location in a Winkler strip mall. With the gracious assistance of Orthodox Churches in Winnipeg (St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church, Holy Trinity Sobor, and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada) things like candles stands, chalices, crosses, and icons were donated to provide a richly beautiful place in which to serve. Unfortunately, in the Summer of 2023, The Mission found itself looking for a new space once again, which lead to our current location at 207 Main St. in Winkler!

Little by little this community is growing into a full-time parish, with Liturgical services lead by clergy from St. Nicholas and the Manitoba and Saskatchewan Deanery. With the support of the parish of St. Nicholas in Narol, and the guidance of Archbishop Irenee, the community of Christ the Saviour Mission in Winkler bears witness to Christ by being truly a mission in every sense of the word.